With Christian apparently a heel now, it should be interesting to see where he goes. It’s pretty clear that they’re setting up for Christian/Orton III at the PPV which is probably their best bet. Other than that there isn’t much to talk about here. Everything seems to be going along as it always does, which is a good thing as no one can really run a TV show like Smackdown does at this point. Let’s get to it.

We open with a clip of last week with Christian apparently turning heel and bashing Orton’s head in with the title. The dramatic music is a nice touch here.

Speaking of the Canadian here he is. He talks about how the fans that boo him get it apparently because he was screwed out of winning the championship just five days out of winning it. He was also screwed out of being #1 contender two weeks ago so he was justified in what he did last week, which draws booing. Christian says he is done with all the people, his so called “peeps”. He doesn’t want to talk to them ever again. There’s a solid evil smile on his face here too which is really selling the heel turn.

The one person he does want to talk to is sitting over here, and his name is Michael Cole. Christian calls Cole into the ring and has something to say in general and not specifically to Cole. Christian talks about how he doesn’t get the fans. These are the people that went off on the internet about how he lost the title and how unfair it is but now they’re blasting him for what he did last week. He doesn’t get how the fans cheering went.

Let’s talk about Bob in accounting. If Bob is up for a big promotion, he should get it on the basis of his merit, not by going out and asking people on the street if he should get it. That’s what Teddy did by asking the fans. It’s disrespectful to Christian to have Teddy do that. He’s been disrespected by one person in particular: Randy Orton. A real man wouldn’t have taken that title shot five days after a ladder match.

Christian asks Cole for a favor since he’s not talking to the people. He wants Cole to ask the people if they think he deserves to be the world heavyweight champion. Great heat for him mentioning that. Cole asks the fans and the booing isn’t as loud. Wow so he has Cole beaten already. Christian calls the fans clueless and says he’ll be champion again. When he does it, it’ll be for himself and not for them. With that, he leaves. Very solid heel turn speech here as there’s total logic to what he’s saying and the delivery was great. This was one of the better ones I can remember in a very long time.

Corre vs. Ezekiel Jackson/Usos

What an odd face tag team. Jackson wants Barrett to start but gets Slater instead. Jackson of course runs over him and brings in let’s say Jey. Slater gets beaten from one side of the ring to the other and brings in Gabriel to face apparently Jimmy. Does it really matter? Gabriel is an extremist apparently. Booker compares the Usos to Harlem Heat. That’s a surprising pairing to be sure.

Booker spent about six months with the Usos before. Corre speeds things up and sends the Usos to the floor and into the table. We take a break for a don’t try this at home video. Can’t make fun of that. Back with Barrett stomping away at “one of the Usos” as apparently Josh can’t tell them apart either. Boss Man Slam gets two. Let’s say that’s Jimmy (bet that’s wrong but again does it matter?) playing Ricky Morton for awhile so I guess that makes Slater Bobby Eaton?

Hot tag to Jackson and Barrett runs off, bringing in Gabriel. Jackson starts the slams and Barrett tries to bail. Slater yells at him but he walks off anyway. Slams all around and the Usos add a double superkick (how has that never been a tag team finisher? I know the Rockers used it at times but not as a finisher) to Slater and the Torture Rack ends Gabriel at 6:45 shown of 10:15 shown. Barrett vs. Jackson for the title at the PPV.

Rating: C. Just a run of the mill six man here to further the Corre splitting up. Nothing wrong with that at all as I think it leads to the Jackson title reign at the PPV, which it probably should do. Anyway, the Usos were a surprising addition here and the whole thing was fine. Right in the middle sounds fine.

Teddy is on the phone and apparently making bets on horse racing. Sheamus comes in and Teddy pretends that he’s talking to his wife. I wonder if that betting thing is going anywhere. Anyway Sheamus wants Christian tonight and Teddy says no. Instead Teddy makes it Orton vs. Sheamus, no DQ. Sheamus likes that as he’s smiling about it, but the visual is really weird here as the camera zooms in on his face like Teddy has left or the shot is ending but it pulls back to see Teddy just looking at him. Unintentional comedy works every time.

Gabriel and Slater want an explanation and Barrett says they’re nothing without him. The tag team says you’re about to find out because the Corre is done.

Trent Barreta vs. Jinder Mahal

I can never spell Barreta right the first time. Always add an extra T. Mahal’s legs are almost creepy looking from being so long. We have the makings of another squash here and the height that Trent gets on a backdrop is great. He gets a shot in to break Mahal’s momentum and tries what looks like a moonsault, but Khali provides the distraction. Full nelson slam ends this at 1:29. More or less a squash. Vice Grip to Trent post match.

Some young clueless putz gets to talk to AJ who is all perky and cute and I can’t help but smile. Before she gets anywhere Tamina and Rosa come up to give her cheese, because she’s a little mouse. AJ says Laycool called and wants their gimmick back. The evil ones say AJ will be alone tonight but Natalya comes up and the heels leave.

Tamina vs. AJ

AJ has music now. Tamina tries to overpower her but AJ gets a quick dropkick in. That gets her nowhere so Tamina slams her and we hit the armbar. Booker flat out says he can’t focus because of Rosa’s short dress in front of him. Sounds far less creepy than Lawler here. Apparently Natalya took AJ and Kaitlyn paintballing. Think Cole has fun with that line? Tamina puts her in a fireman’s carry but yells at Natalya too much and AJ rolls down her back and gets a rollup for the pin at 2:00. Dang she has nice abs.

We see a shorter version of the opening video about Christian to set up this.

Here’s Orton but this isn’t for his match apparently. He wants Christian to come out here right now and explain this. Christian pops up on the screen and says ask the fans if that’s what they want. He imitates Teddy in a funny bit and says he’s not coming out here. Christian wants one more match but Orton says he doesn’t care.

Christian talks about how he could have counted Orton down last week but didn’t want to face Sheamus for the title. He wants Orton, because he knows he can beat him. Orton wants Christian RIGHT NOW but Christian says on his terms, not anyone else’s. They make the match at Capitol Punishment. Christian gets in his car and leaves, more or less guaranteeing he’ll be here for later.

DiBiase and Rhodes make Anthony Weiner jokes. Cody wants to know if he can call the shots out there tonight and Ted takes exception. Rhodes talks about having money and women in Legacy and Ted says then you got your face messed up and went nuts. Cody casually shouts for a bagger and has the bagger put the bag on his own (the bagger’s) head. Cody says he’s not nuts but prematurely enlightened. Now he feels free and while he may be nuts, he may also be a genius. This was odd to say the least.

Sin Cara vs. Ted DiBiase

I’d have bet on this being the tag that was more or less set up last week. No Bryan in sight but Cody and the baggers are with Ted here. There go the lights which I don’t get. It kind of made sense for Kane but I don’t get it at all with Cara. Fast start of course as Cara gets a pretty awesome but completely overdone armdrag. Ted gets a boot up in the corner to take Cara down. Cara gets in a shot and sets for a springboard something but Cody pulls him down and it’s a DQ at 1:50.

Bryan runs out for the save and Teddy makes the tag match.

Daniel Bryan/Sin Cara vs. Ted DiBiase/Cody Rhodes

Well at least they didn’t waste much of our time on the one on one. There’s a break before the match. The match is in progress when we come back with Bryan hitting an arm drag to DiBiase. LeBell Lock can’t go on as Ted runs to the corner and brings in Cody. Cody gets in an argument with the referee and walks into a missile dropkick by Cara. Cara gets sent shoulder first into the post and here comes Rhodes.

Never mind as it’s off to Ted. He only came a little. Make your own jokes there. Ted works on the injured arm but gets caught in a cross armbreaker. Cara rolls it into the ropes though so it doesn’t really mean anything. Cody comes in and works on the arm while the referee speaks Spanish. Single arm DDT gets two. This match is awkward for some reason and I can’t put my finger on why.

Ted works on the arm now as we talk about Booker getting back in the ring on Monday. Back off to Cody as I think the problem is the former Legacy isn’t staying in long enough to make anything work really. Cara tries to speed it up and hits an enziguri to put Cody down. Double tags to Bryan and DiBiase and Bryan takes over. Even Cole is complimenting him here. Cara hits a suicide dive to take Cody out and Bryan jumps off the middle rope into a guillotine and then into the LeBell Lock for the tap at 6:30.

Rating: C-. I didn’t like this at all for the most part but it was technically fine. The formula was there for the most part but I couldn’t get into it at all. The rating is probably low but at the same time it just didn’t draw me in at all. Very awkward match for some reason which I think might have been due to Cara and Bryan never really being on offense other than at the end and a brief bit at the beginning.

Johnny Curtis has a chip on his shoulder. Like a potato chip. He eats the chip and that’s about it. I spent 15 weeks watching NXT for this. I hate my life, I have my life.

Orton talks about his past anger management issues and says this match will help him.

Randy Orton vs. Sheamus

No DQ remember. Sheamus goes straight at him like a good monster heel and hammers him down. Orton gets his non-Thesz Press to take over. They head to the floor as Orton sends Sheamus into the barricade. Sheamus hammers away but Orton gets a dropkick up to block the slingshot shoulder block and we head back to the floor. He puts Sheamus’ head on the steps and tries to stomp down but since that would more or less kill him, Sheamus pulls him down and rams Orton’s head into the steps as we take a break.

Back with Sheamus having that crossface chickenwing on but shifting to a chinlock rather quickly. Ok back to the crossface. Pick a hold dude. Orton fires off a headbutt of all things to escape. Sheamus takes him down again and back to the same hold. There’s the slingshot shoulder for two. Again with the chickenwing but now it’s off to a regular chinlock one more time.

Ok make that a headlock. At least this time Orton gets a belly to back to break up the monotony. Orton hammers him down and it’s a slugout again. Orton fires off and hits his powerslam but Sheamus heads to the floor. Sheamus is sent into the barricade but reverses to send Orton into the steps. Both guys are down but it’s Sheamus up first. Into the ring and Sheamus brings the steps with him.

Orton counters with the backbreaker for two. The steps are pulled into the middle of the ring but Sheamus pulls him into the middle buckle and stomps away. Austin would be proud of those. Sheamus can’t powerslam Orton onto the steps but Orton gets one onto them to put the pale one down. The steps are shoved aside and Sheamus hits the Irish Curse for two.

Sheamus heads to the floor and pulls out a kendo stick. He beats the tar out of Orton with it but can only get two. The crowd is rapidly getting into this. Sheamus throws the stick away and sets for the Brogue Kick. Orton avoids it though and Sheamus’ foot is caught in the ropes. Randy picks up the stick and unloads on Sheamus, hitting probably twenty shots or so. Orton has that crazy look in his eyes and it’s the elevated DDT.

He loads up the RKO but Christian runs in. He can’t hit the Killswitch though and Randy can’t hit the RKO. Sheamus takes Randy’s head off with a running double axe handle and it’s time for the High Cross. Orton escapes and ducks the Brogue Kick. RKO hits but Christian blasts him with the belt and Sheamus crawls on top for the pin at approximately 17:12 shown of 21:14. The video was jumping around a lot on the site I was using so this is as good of a guess as I can give it.

Rating: B+. I rather liked this as they didn’t have a really boring part other than in the very middle with Sheamus using a ton of rest holds. Still though it worked rather well as they’ve apparently figured out how to not bore us to tears. The ending here works also because Orton had the win until Christian interfered. I like this ending as it makes Christian seem like he’s getting under his skin through action instead of doing whatever Anderson is trying to do to Sting at the moment. Fun and solid match.

Christian holds up the belt to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. Good show but a step down from last week. They continue to have the perfect pacing as far as matches to promos and we got a ton of wrestling here. Not as good as last week but still quite good, especially with the majority of stuff already set up for the PPV, which is the main idea at this point. Good show but not great.